Illusions of Reality
by Defiant Nefelibata
Summary: (Contains Daddy!Bruce and later family!avengers) Begins after the events of The Incredible Hulk but before the Avengers. Depressed and alone, convinced that his life is no longer worth living, Bruce reaches his lowest point in the wilds of the Canadian Rockies. However he is shocked when he finds an equally lost, young soul in the forest, just as unusual and unique as he is.
1. Darkest days

**(Pulls hair in frustration) I really hate my brain sometimes. I have a few dozen plot lines and stories for many different fandoms rolling round in my skull and my ever fickle muse flits between them as they suit her fancy. GRRR! I really should be working on finishing one of my Transformer fics or finally updating one of my Ninja Turtles fics but it would seem I can't until I at least start this one. Not to mention this has been sitting on my computer for a while so I thought I'd get some feedback and see if the idea is worth the time.**

**OK, so a small explanation before I begin what could likely be a very big fic if what I have planned on the storyboard gets written like I plan. First and foremost is that I will be playing very liberally with the Marvel universe and this is my first movie fic. There will be many different characters, ideas, and fictional organizations from just about everywhere. We even touch briefly on Mutants and Xmen but they are ****_not_**** a big part of this story. Later there may even be an idea or two that evolved around a few speculations and insights into the future Avengers sequel with the added bonus of an OC, just because I can. Two big changes is that: One, the time line adjusts a little bit to allow Bruce a few months to get from the wilds of British Columbia to Calcutta and settle in a bit, and two is that Bruce doesn't go to the Arctic to attempt to… um, off himself (Which you would know if you saw the trailer, I recommend watching it). I'm also claiming artistic licence so that he finds himself hitting his really low spot just a little after the end of ****_The Incredible Hulk_****movie (they never really say ****_when_****he hit his low spot anyhow). The reasons for this will be explained in story. We will first begin a few months (almost a year) before the Avengers movie but after the Hulk movie and go from there. This will be my first time writing through a movie so this should be interesting to say the least.**

**IMPORTANT NOTE: The things written here are, of course, pure fiction and in no way represent my personal beliefs. I'm simply typing this warning for those trolls and flamers who may try to take something written in this fic too literally. Remember if you don't like don't read, ok? There may be some ****POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING****stuff here ok? Bruce is in a bad place when this starts, though I promise he won't be there for very long. Also there will be a bad guy that I can foresee some people perhaps giving me some grief over, but I'll leave him out of this for now and explain my reasoning when the time comes. I cannot promise consistent updates but I will always complete any fic I start.**

**As we all know I own nothing except my OC and general plot. Let's face it if I owned the Avengers I'd be rich and find a way to write myself into the movies. Just like Stan Lee does. Ok, so that's enough of my rambling make sure to read and review please!**

**!THE FIRST AUTHORS NOTE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, SO MAKE SURE YOU READ IT!**

Bruce was tired.

It had been about a month since he had woken after fighting The Abomination and fleeing for his life across the continent. The brilliant ex-physicist was under no illusions about how badly General Ross still wanted him dissected or dead, whichever came first most likely. So naturally he did what he did best and survived by hitchhiking his way across the country, sneaking over borders, stealing, lying and begging where he had to. Though he usually tried to avoid the stealing part if he had a choice. All Bruce wanted was to get as far away from New York as he could without needing either a boat or a plane.

Bruce didn't think he had ever felt as tired as he did right now.

He had gotten a rare and long overdue stroke of luck once he had found his way into British Columbia. After a few close calls he had managed to shake anyone that may have been following him and stumbled across an abandoned but functional cabin in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains. With what little money he had managed to scrape together through various means and odd jobs, Bruce stockpiled on food and made a small investment on a beat up pickup truck that was on its last legs. At first it had been wonderful; the isolation, the peace and quiet, and best of all there was no one for hundreds of miles that he might hurt if he accidently lost control of the Other Guy. He had even found a small measure of control over his other half. There was only one problem; Bruce was left with far too much time to think.

All Bruce wanted at the moment was a deep dreamless sleep.

With few distractions and far too much time on his hands Bruce had almost no choice but to think about what he was going to do next, and for the first time in a very long time Bruce truly didn't know. Since he had first transformed just over five years ago and realized what he had become his whole life revolved around curing himself and running from the military. Samuel Sterns, or Mr. Blue as he had once known him as, had been his last desperate hope of ever finding a cure and it had turned around and bitten him where it hurt. Now he was left with no resources, few contacts and even fewer options.

All Bruce could see for his future was a lifetime of running and hiding like a hunted animal until he was killed or given up as a lost cause. However even that was implausible, he was too dangerous to just be forgotten, there would always be someone who would want to try and recreate the monster in his blood. There would always be people who would be willing enough to take up the hunt for him to do it. Every night he had nightmares of running and gunfire, of becoming the Other Guy and killing people, and always he woke from these dreams in panic with green tinted eyes and a heartbeat that was far too fast for comfort.

It wasn't long before Bruce became despondent and the charming mountains he had surrounded himself with no longer seemed so peaceful. The isolation that kept the rest of the world safe from the Other Guy quickly became unbearable. Within that time he came to accept that he would never again be rid of the monster he had become, he could never be with Betty or live a normal life. Without even seeming to realize it, Bruce began to prepare, by moving on some tiny idea that he hardly even dared to think about for fear of it being taken from him. This thought that had hovered in the back of his mind for so long over the past few years he hardly ever noticed it, until now. Over the course of a few weeks Bruce sold anything he had of value and bought what he hoped would bring an absolution from his misery from a trapper five hours away from the cabin.

Once he had what he needed Bruce packed what little he still owned into the rundown blue truck that he had purchased and started driving. He had no idea where he was going, only that he had to get somewhere isolated. The ex-physicist drove all day and well into the night, finding the most abandoned old logging roads and more than a few overgrown trails that his much abused truck could barely struggle down. Bruce drove until his eyes burned with exhaustion and the roads finally ended in a tangle of brush and towering pines. He let the truck idle for a moment before turning the engine off with a sigh.

The night was dark for a few moments before Bruce's eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight filtering through the treetops. Bruce had over a day's worth of stubble on his chin, dark bags under his eyes and was dressed in a worn flannel shirt and blue pants. With a groan he rubbed a hand over his careworn features and leaned his head against the steering wheel and closed his eyes. Flashbacks, broken green tinged memories, and nightmares haunted the back of his eyelids forcing him to open his eyes again with a start and look over at the truck glove box. Bruce was so tired, tired of running, tired of hiding, tired of living on the run, and he hoped that tonight he would finally find some rest.

With steady hands Bruce opened the catch and reached into the glove box, pulling out the already loaded handgun. The metal was cool at first but it quickly warmed in his hand, its weight and rough handle in his palm almost soothing to the touch. Without a second look at the weapon Bruce jumped out of the truck and left it unlocked with the key sitting on the seat. It wasn't hard for him to walk away from the vehicle, especially since all that he had left to call his own was; the truck itself, a single change of clothes, a baggy grey sweater, a small can of gas and a few hundred dollars. None of it was something that he could, or wanted, to take with him.

For a long time Bruce hiked through the trees and brush thinking only of the next step, ignoring his exhaustion and the pistol he carried. He didn't know how far he walked but by the time he came to a small clearing big enough to see a small piece of sky the moon was already high overhead. Bruce paused, looked up at the sky and impassively admired the silver crescent moon and how serene it looked surrounded by stars. A cool summer wind brought him back to earth and the detested but calming firearm that sat so comfortably in his hand. The ex-scientist had always loathed weapons, a hate had only grown over the past few years, so the irony of this situation was not completely lost on Bruce.

He had nothing left and he accepted this. There was no cure, nothing that could change him back and make him what he once was, all he could see was a future of being hunted and experimented on. He only hoped that Betty would never know what had happened to him and that eventually she would move on and be happy, she deserved that at least. Bruce closed his tired brown eyes, and for once wasn't immediately assaulted by a nightmare on the back of his eyelids. His mouth was dry but his pulse was eerily calm and steady as he tasted metal and gun grease on his tongue. Bruce sent one last silent plea to anyone that would listen that this would work, that he could sleep in peace at last.

The crack of a gunshot echoed through the woods, but was followed shortly by an even louder roar of rage that shook the forest and rang through the mountains.

(Meanwhile at a secure location)

"Director Fury, we have a possible sighting on Dr. Banner."

Fury, dressed in his usual ensemble of black clothes and trench coat, looked up from where he was seated at his massive oak desk. The agent in front of him was one of many tasked with finding and tailing anyone that S.H.I.E.L.D considered a threat. Doctor Bruce Banner almost had an entire team dedicated solely to himself, for his uncanny knack of being able to shake his followers and stay off their radar. Fury set aside the hit order he was working on for a gang leader in Italy and pinned the female agent with a one eyed stare, to her credit she didn't flinch.

"A sighting? It's rare that the good doctor makes that kind of mistake. Do we have a visual?" Fury questioned as he leaned back in his seat.

"No sir, not a visual, but you wanted an immediate direct report on anything that even remotely hinted at Dr. Banner's location. I overheard some chatter on our satellite by some late night poachers about something much bigger than a bear being heard close to where we suspect Dr. Banner to be hiding. I scanned the area with one of our satellites and looked for gamma radiation. The signature matches Dr. Banner's radiation signature and the satellite images show that a mile wide section of the forest has inexplicably been demolished."

Fury nodded, smiling internally, it was good to finally have a bead on Banner since they lost him after the Harlem incident. Fury was slightly concerned as to what could have triggered one of the doctor's 'episodes' out in the middle of nowhere but not overly worried. As long as S.H.I.E.L.D had an eye on Banner and the doctor didn't kill someone important, get captured, or create another mess like Harlem he didn't really care what the man did.

"Good job Agent-"

"Demore, sir."

"Agent Demore. Have some agents posted in all of the nearby towns, should he pass through any of them make sure they tail him discreetly and at a distance. If Dr. Banner thinks he's being followed he'll vanish into the wind again, I want no mistakes this time. Dismissed."

Fury turned his attention back to his paperwork but looked back up after a few moments when Agent Demore didn't move to leave.

Fury raised an eyebrow at the agent, "Yes?"

"Sir? That may not be all. We have something that may or may not be an incident related to Dr. Banner being in the same area."

Fury frowned at this and his one eye narrowed, "Explain."

Agent Demore impossibly straightened even more, recognising the look in her boss' eye as not being a good one. "Only a few minutes after finding the radiation signature I recorded a massive energy spike in the same area. It happened in a small town of less than a hundred civilians just a few miles north of where Dr. Banner was heard. A church was destroyed and three people were killed in what was described as 'a beam of light'. Reports vary as to some of the details; some say the light was coming from a space ship, while others say the light came from the ground, and as to which color the light was no report is the same. However many of the reports indicate that the towns people believe that some kind of demon is behind the light and deaths."

Fury's always present frown deepened. As far as he or anyone else knew Banner didn't have the ability to make destructive blasts of light. The man was already destructive enough with the 'condition' he had, anything more would just be overkill at this point. Fury considered the idea that there might be a new power on his field, and he didn't like it.

"Do we have any energy recording of the area at the time of the explosion?" He questioned.

"Only from the one satellite that I was using at the time to look for Dr. Banner sir, and what readings we did get are off the charts."

The agent brought forward a piece of paper with the energy readings which Fury looked over. Within seconds his single eye had widened and his eyebrows rose in surprise. He had seen readings like this one before.

"Agent, change of plans. Banner is now secondary to finding the source of this energy spike, feel free to keep an eye out for him but I want our focus to be on investigating this town. I want everything on everyone that ever lived there for the past ten years at the least and you will report everything to Agent Hill or myself, is that clear?" Fury snapped in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Yes sir," Agent Demore snapped off a quick nod and promptly left the room.

The door closed with a click and after a moment Fury pivoted in his seat around to look out the window of the Helicarrier, only it wasn't the clouds he was concentrating on. Something new had just jumped into the game and Fury was _not happy _about it. Even though he didn't know yet what it was, he did know that it was potentially powerful enough to be a very serious threat. He just hoped that whatever was behind that energy source didn't fall into the wrong hands. Only time would tell.

Bruce was woken by the sound of bird song, slowly brightening light on his eyes and the uncomfortable feeling of tree roots poking into his stomach. With great difficultly he opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings as bitter disappointment welled up in his throat. Once his eyes had adjusted Bruce could see that the sun was slowly beginning to rise in the east and he was lying shirtless beside a tree that looked like it had been snapped in half. A large trail of destruction could be seen winding its way through the forest, all Bruce could do was groan and lay his aching head back down on the forest floor. Of course the Other Guy couldn't make anything easy for him; Bruce should have known that even his death couldn't be quick and painless. Not after all the pain and suffering he had caused.

It was the uncomfortable pricking and poking of pine splinters on his bare skin that convinced Bruce to pause his wallowing and pick himself up. Clutching the waist of his now tattered and barely holding together pants he only moved far enough to sit on what remained of a log. At least his modesty was fully covered; sometimes when he woke he didn't even have that.

Bruce ran a hand through his rumpled wavy hair as his dark thoughts returned with a vengeance, _'__Now what?'_ he wondered to himself.

It was obvious that something quick and relatively painless wasn't going to work since the Other Guy would simply step in. For several minutes Bruce morbidly considered the many different ways that he could finish what he had started. After all the saying went; _if at first you don't succeed try, try again,_ right? Some things were crossed off immediately like poison and jumping off someplace high up. The first wouldn't work due to the fact that his already deadly blood would likely cancel out even the most powerful of toxins. As for the latter he doubted he would be able to keep his heart rate slow enough to hit the ground in his more vulnerable form.

The ex-physicist was just beginning to consider the pros and cons of drowning vs self-starvation when he thought he heard something moving in the brushes behind him. Immediately fear born from years of being on the run had Bruce on his feet and gazing wearily around, despite his aching body and exhaustion from his transformation. It wouldn't be the first time he was attacked soon after one of his 'episodes' and forced to run for his life once more, and it likely wouldn't be the last either. Bruce slowly turned toward where he thought he had heard the bushes rustling but couldn't see anything through the thick undergrowth.

So against his better judgement he called out, "Hello?" Bruce rasped, having to stop to clear his dry throat just realizing how thirsty he was.

However there was no answer and the woods remained quiet. Bruce was just about to pass off what he had heard as paranoia when he glimpsed something moving in the corner of his eye. Turning so quickly he almost gave himself whiplash Bruce turned his head and spotted something small and white disappear behind a tree.

"Is someone there?" He called, wary and ready to run at a moment's notice.

There was a tense minute of silence passed before Bruce heard whatever was hiding shift, and to his surprise his wary brown eyes met with a pair of anxious amber orbs.

**TADA! That's all I got for the moment, but please let me know if you think I should continue. What are your thoughts on Bruce's state of mind? Was it too much? Let me know by writing in the box below! **


	2. A little light

(**Sneaks onto internet) Umm... I have no excuses for why this fic got left hanging for so long. Only that I have many other multi-chapter stories and my muse for this one took a very long sabbatical. However I have just gone and seen the new Avengers: Age of Ultron movie and it brought my inspiration back to life. And even though my mild Clint\Natasha ship happily went down in flames it was replaced by the very unexpected ship of Brutasha. Which rose out of the sea like a magnificent battleship of fluff and future fanfics to come! I was so very happy with what they did and how much screen time both Nat and Bruce got. And the witty banter, love me some witty banter. But now I'm rambling so I will now shut up and say on with the show! REMEMBER TO READ, REVIEW, AND ENJOY!**

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize! Only my OC and a little bit of plot. Other people own this sandbox, I'm simply borrowing it and kidnapping the characters for the moment. I promise to return them once I'm done in the same condition I got them, but I make no promises for whatever emotional damage I may accidentally cause.

* * *

Bruce was used to surprises, being able to transform into a giant green rage monster would do that to a person. However the last thing he expected to poke its head around the tree was a small amber eyed child. The small pale face peered at him cautiously, keeping half hidden behind the trunk. From what little he could see of her the girl was small with thin twiggy limbs, and if Bruce had to hazard a guess she seemed about seven years old. Wildly tangled brown hair hung to about shoulder length framing her soft childish features. However what concerned Bruce the most was the fact she seemed to be alone, the small scratches on her cheekbones, and the rips in her oversized white shirt.

Concerned, Bruce took a small step forward, "Are you alright?" He asked softly trying not to scare her. Despite his caution the girl tensed and Bruce caught a flash of fear cross her face as she disappeared back behind the large tree.

"No, no, I'm not going to hurt you," he tried to reassure but winced internally as he realized that his current half naked and tattered appearance wasn't exactly going to inspire confidence.

The last thing he wanted was for the girl to run. She was obviously alone and scared and from the scratches on her cheeks already looked like she had been running through the underbrush. Bruce could imagine all too well the Other Guy finding a small family camping in the woods, and what would happen after. He could only hope that that wasn't the case. However convincing the child not to be scared of the bizarre looking, half dressed, and shoeless stranger in the middle of nowhere would not be easy. The situation just screamed stranger-danger even if Bruce's only intention was to help. However the ex-physicist knew that he had a weak spot for kids, and he couldn't in good conscience just leave the little girl alone in the woods. He had to get her back to her parents. Making sure to keep his voice comforting Bruce kneeled so that he could seem less threatening.

"I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Bruce and I'm a doctor, I just want to make sure you're not hurt. You're not hurt are you?"

Bruce hadn't been expecting the 'trust me I'm a doctor' line to work but was relieved when after a moment the girl peered meekly from her hiding place. Luckily she didn't need to know that he really wasn't that kind of doctor. The child still had a heavy dose of caution in her face as she seemed to judge him carefully with her gaze, but there was an undercurrent of curiosity there too. The girl shook her head in answer to his question, but she still remained half hidden behind the tree.

"There you are. Now what's your name? Where are your parents?" Bruce questioned gently staying where he was on one knee, ignoring the pine needles prickling his skin.

The girl tensed and seemed to shrink in on herself but didn't hide this time, however she did drop her gaze and didn't seem inclined to answer. Bruce sighed and ran a hand over his face before looking back at her.

"Why don't you come out from there? That way I can see that you're not hurt and we can figure out what to do."

The girl hesitated, biting her lip and shifting from foot to foot. For a moment Bruce worried that she might run, but then a small shift in her expression told him that she had come to some kind of decision. Slowly and carefully she moved from behind the tree watching him carefully for any kind of reaction. Bruce felt like he was being tested and for several seconds he couldn't understand why. The first thing he noticed was that to his relief she didn't seem to be harmed, though her face, arms, and bare feet had several cuts and bruises. Her clothes, an oversized white shirt and ripped jeans, were stained, torn and oddly scorched in places. However at that moment something shifted behind the girl and Bruce felt his thought process stumble and stall.

On the girls back was a pair of compact but beautiful ivory wings, which were poking over her shoulders through two well placed rips in the back of her shirt. Bruce was certainly surprised for a few moments, but it was far from the most shocking thing he had seen in his life. The ex-physicist supposed that girl must be a mutant. Bruce had gotten to know more than a few mutants through both his work in gamma radiation and while trying to cure himself of the Other Guy. Some had even been colleagues once upon a time. However the young girl was all but shaking with tension, watching him and waiting for his reaction with a fearful trepidation in her eyes. Seeing this Bruce looked away from her wings to her face and gave her a smile, trying to show that he wasn't going to hurt her simply because she was different. Shock flickered across her face at his lack of response but after a moment she seemed to relax slightly and gave him a shy smile in return.

"I suppose you wouldn't want to tell me your name? Or how you got out here?" Bruce asked quietly, encouraged by her timid smile. The girl's only reply was to bite her lip again and looked away while shaking her head, unsure and nervous again.

"Alright then," Bruce sighed contemplating this new problem. He knew that since the girl was a mutant there was a possibility that her parents were as well, and many mutants were a law unto themselves. With so many anti-mutant sympathisers these days he wouldn't be surprised that the 'don't talk to strangers' rule would be all but branded into the girl's mind. For protection if not so that she wouldn't accidently lead anyone dangerous to where she lived, assuming she knew the way. Bruce looked around at the surrounding half ruined pine forest, as if hoping for some kind of signal as to where the girls parents could be.

Unfortunately life didn't just hand out neon signs or directions on demand. Weighing his options Bruce didn't see much choice but to bring the child with him. He had no idea where her parents were, the girl wasn't talking, and they couldn't just stay here until someone came to find them. Assuming there was anyone looking for her and not Bruce. With a groan the ex-physicist got back to his feet still clutching the remains of his pants and brushing wood chips and splinters from his knees. The girl took a wary half-step back but to Bruce's relief she no longer seemed quite so inclined to run.

"Well we can't stay here. It'll be a bit of a hike but I have a truck around here somewhere that can get us out of here, if we can find it that is." Bruce looked back to the girl, who was shifting back and forth but watching and listening to him attentively.

"I won't make you follow me if you don't want to," Bruce said unsurely, wondering if the child understood fully, after all she only looked like she was seven at best. "But I think it would be a good idea if you stayed with me until we can find your parents."

The girl tensed once more but studied him again before relaxing and giving a hesitant nod. Bruce took this to mean that she would stay with him since as he turned and began following the trail of destruction the Other Guy had made she silently padded after him. The walk was long but silent, the only exception being birdsong and the occasional question that Bruce would ask the girl. The ex-physicist tried several times to get the child to talk, but his questions were only answered with a strange look or diverted eyes. She also made sure not to get too close to him, always at least several steps away and never within arms reach. Bruce was unsure what to make of his young and silent shadow. Kids, in his experience, were never this quiet or solemn without good reason.

Though the child trailed behind him he was able to occasionally able to look back when she wasn't paying attention and get a better look at her. She was a tiny thing; all skin, bones and baggy clothes. Though she didn't have any obvious injuries she held herself carefully, making him wonder if she had been telling the truth earlier about not being hurt. Bruce was also able to get a better look at her wings as she turned to lower herself from over a thick fallen tree. They were small, just like the rest of her, and an off white color like ivory or cream speckled with brown. She held them tightly to her back, barely letting them move at all. However what concerned Bruce the most was the fact that she had a large but shallow cut at the base of her left wing. Like something had slashed her. It wasn't bleeding any longer but he made a mental note to check it as soon as she would let him.

By the time they got to the end of the path of destroyed trees it was late in the day, the sun beginning to descend. Bruce stopped and looked around at the now ruined clearing, his face blank as he remembered the previous night. His bare feet, sore from walking through the forest and over broken branches collided with something metal. Looking down he saw the warped, shattered and broken remains of the gun he had used. The weapon was hardly recognizable. Depression and dark imaginings grew in his head again. In truth they had never left but now they surged to the forefront of his mind again weighing him down, reminding him of how tired he was.

However his spiraling thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the loud sound of cracking branches. Bruce looked back at the child that followed behind him. Her eyes looked more like sun warmed earth than amber in the different light and she also looked tired. The girl looked at him with worry in her eyes, as if sensing that something was wrong. For a moment Bruce thought that she might say something when she opened her mouth, but no sound came out and she bit her lip instead. However she didn't look away, just stared at him with a concerned look.

Bruce gave the remains of the gun one last glance before continuing on. The last thing he wanted was for another innocent to suffer because of him. This could wait for a little longer, at the moment this girl needed his help. He'd help her, get her back to her parents, and after that... well Bruce was sure that he would figure something out by then. Looking around Bruce tried to gauge which way he had come from the truck. After a few moments he pointed toward a bush that might have been familiar.

"It's this way," he said trying to sound confident.

He must not have succeeded because the girl gave him a doubtful look, but still she followed quietly after him. It took them another hour of walking and searching before Bruce spotted the slightly rusted, paint peeled exterior of the truck. Opening the door he immediately grabbed the change of clothes he had laying there, thankful that he also had put in his extra pair of shoes. The girl hung back, unsure and looking like she was considering running again. Thinking quickly before the child could act on her thoughts Bruce tossed her his large gray sweatshirt, which she caught in surprise.

"I'm just going to go further into the trees and get changed. Why don't you wear that, just so we don't startle anyone when we get closer to town."

The girl looked down at the sweater in her arms and nodded. Bruce quickly grabbed his own clothes and hurried into the brushes and changed out of his completely ruined pants. Fully clothed the ex-physicist hurried back to the truck as quickly as he could, hoping that the child hadn't used his absence as an opportunity to change her mind and disappear. However he needn't have worried. The girl was still waiting exactly where he had left her, now wearing the large gray sweater which almost swallowed her tiny frame. But the garment did it's job, the lumpy material completely disguised the fact that she had wings.

The ex-physicist made another mental note to get the girl a pair of shoes before making his way back over to the truck. The vehicle sputtered a little before starting with a roar and Bruce leaned over the seats and pushed open the passenger door before looking over at the child. The girl hesitated for several moments and looked back over her shoulder from the direction they had come from. When she turned back around Bruce could see the odd expression of determination in her face. With a jump the girl scurried into the passenger seat and pulled the door closed behind her before reaching around and putting on her seatbelt.

Bruce held back the small smile that wanted to grow on his face and instead focussed on trying to back the truck up through the narrow path. It was rough going and Bruce swore under his breath that it hadn't been nearly so bumpy last night. The girl remained quiet, watching the passing forest out the window and occasionally gripping door to keep from bouncing around too much. By the time they had gotten back to a road that wasn't covered in gravel and had a name the sun was beginning to set. Bruce was reluctant to go back to his little cabin in the woods. It had never failed yet that when he slipped and let the Other Guy out his location was compromised. The ex-physicist hadn't planned on ever returning to his cabin, and so now he had nowhere safe to go.

However there were several tiny towns that they could go to just a few hours drive away, which Bruce reluctantly decided was the best bet they had at getting shelter for now. The nearest town was so small it only had one stoplight on the main street and Bruce wasn't even sure it had a name. Exhaustion was beginning to set in from the long day and previous night and Bruce was tempted to pull over, maybe even stay the night. However what decided it for him was a loud rumble that came from the passenger seat. The girl wouldn't meet his eye, her pale face flushed brightly in shy embarrassment. Bruce mentally cursed himself for forgetting about the needs of his silent companion and drove the rattling truck into the parking lot of the only diner in town.

"I suppose we should both eat." Bruce said as he turned off the engine, grabbed his wallet and opened his door.

He looked over at the young girl, whom hadn't moved and was looking at him curiously with her honey colored eyes. "Come on," the ex-physicist said with a gesture with his head. The girl jumped, still looking surprised and scrambled to get out of the truck following behind with her still bare feet. Bruce grimaced to himself and resolved to get her some footwear once they had eaten. The diner was largely empty with seventies decor that looked so old it was vintage. The waitress didn't even look up from her magazine to glance at the odd pair that they made, she simply held out a pair of menus when he approached her.

Wordlessly Bruce took the menus and led the way to an out-of-the-way corner booth where he hoped to get some answers from the girl. Quiet as always the child sat in the seat opposite him and grabbed one of the menus. For a moment he was unsure if she would be able to read it, but the child didn't seem to be confused so Bruce let the matter go. After a few more minutes of silent reading the waitress came over, obviously bored and wishing to be somewhere else.

"What can I get ya?" The woman muttered and clicked her pen.

"Erm... I'll get the chicken veggie burger with a side of fries please and..." Bruce looked over to his young companion unsure what to do. He certainly didn't have enough experience with kids to know how to get a reluctant child to speak. For a moment he hoped that the girl would break her silence and finally talk, but instead she slid her menu across the table and pointed.

"The chicken fingers and fries?" He asked, to which she answered with a nod.

"You got it darlin'," the waitress said as she scooped up the menus and departed with a wink toward Bruce.

Blinking in surprise at the retreating waitress Bruce shook his head and turned his attention back to the child sitting across from him. The girl looked nervous again and was playing with the frayed edge of the gray sweater. Taking pity on the poor kid Bruce decided to take it slow. He wouldn't force her to talk or give him answers but he had to break the ice somehow.

"So, you know my name is Bruce but you still haven't told me yours," he said gently making sure to give her a smile when she looked up at him. The girl looked away and worried the edge of her sweater more, biting her lips as she seemed to shrink in on herself.

Bruce sighed but wasn't surprised by her silence. "It's ok, I know you've likely been told not to talk to strangers. But I can't get you back to you family if you don't tell me your name at least. Your parents are probably worried sick about you by now." The girl only tensed again and seemed to bite her lip harder, picking at the hem of the sweater nervously.

The ex-physicist felt bad for pressuring the young child, especially since she was tired and hungry. So he decided to stop for now and looked out into the dark street. "I wonder how a seven year old wound up alone in the middle of nowhere," Bruce added under his breath mostly speaking to himself.

"I'm not seven, I'm almost nine!" A young indignant voice spoke up from the other seat.

Surprised Bruce looked over to the young girl, who was now glaring at him, her shy nervousness of him forgotten in the face of her anger. A part of him was very amused by her reaction but he pushed that part back so he could take advantage of her lack of silence.

"Sorry," Bruce said almost by reflex. "What's your name?"

Immediately the girl froze, almost seeming to shrink in on herself as her mouth closed with a snap. Bruce frowned as a nagging feeling tugged at the back of his mind. Tiny clues that he had made note of but didn't know what to think of slowly pieced together in his mind. The way she held herself, the way she refused to tell him her name let alone speak, and how every time he mentioned her parents she froze and looked like she was preparing to bolt. Several reasons for why this could be jumped to mind, none of them good. The Other Guy stirred in the back of his mind but the scientist immediately closed his eyes and employed his deep breathing techniques. Anyone watching from across the diner wouldn't have noticed any change in him, but the young girl across from him stilled. He couldn't get angry, not here, not now, and there was no proof to support any of his suspicions. Other than the girl's actions, battered and scratched appearance, how obviously tiny she was for her age and-

Bruce interrupted that train of thought and forced it out of his mind before he could fully contemplate it. With practiced ease he shoved those thoughts back into the constantly simmering pot of anger in the back of his head where he kept the Other Guy. The green eyed monster growled once before slowly fading back into the back of his mind once more. The ex-physicist didn't open his eyes until he could feel his pulse slow and steady, and his hands relax and unclench, but it took a few minutes. To almost anyone watching him it When he opened his eyes again the child sitting across from him was watching him carefully, completely still and gripping the hem of her sweater tightly. Guilt for scaring her welled up and Bruce looked away ashamed. No doubt the girl had gotten good at reading people's body language and minor facial expressions, he didn't need to change skin colors to have her fear him.

"Abigail," Bruce looked back to the young girl across from him. Her amber eyes met his brown for a moment before looking back down at her hands. "My name is Abigail, but I like Abbey better," She said quietly almost in a whisper.

The scientist smiled a little before replying just as quietly, "Abbey it is then."

Abbey looked up in surprise, but after a second her shock was replaced by a shy smile. Then the waitress came back and plopped their meal orders unceremoniously in front of them, breaking the tentative moment between the pair. Without a word the fuzzy haired woman walked away. Though to Bruce's consternation there was a phone number with a winking face written on a napkin he was sure wasn't beside his elbow before. Ignoring the napkin with a shake of his head Bruce grabbed the salt shaker and sprinkled a little over his fries. However he paused when he glanced over at Abbey. The young girl was looking longingly at her plate but when she noticed him looking at her she dropped her gaze.

"Is something wrong with your food?" Bruce questioned.

"N-no," Abbey muttered quietly before hesitantly reaching for a fry.

The ex-physicist made note of how tentatively she ate but pushed it to the back of his mind before his emotions could wake the Other Guy. "You don't want to go back to your parents do you?" Bruce asked gently, already guessing at the answer.

The girl looked at him with sadly and shook her head, reverting back to silence as she watched him uneasily and ate her food. Bruce followed her example but didn't truly taste his food due to all of the conflicting thoughts in his head. The biggest question was what was he going to do now? It was fairly obvious that the girl was running away from a bad home, perhaps even one that resented her for her mutation. His mind carefully steered around using the word abuse since doing so would only make his heart rate increase dangerously. No Bruce couldn't, and wouldn't, in good conscience return Abbey to such a place. So what could he do?

She couldn't stay with him. He was far too volatile, dangerous, a monster. Not to mention that every living thing that stayed too close to him for too long eventually wound up dead. Bruce flinched as he recalled what had happened to the dog that he had had back in Rio. No, staying with him was not an option, so where else could a young homeless mutant child find refuge? The answer clicked smoothly in Bruce's mind, he knew of only one place that would be suitable and gladly take Abbey in. The only problem was that Bruce had no idea how to contact his old colleague and it was extremely doubtful that his friend's place of residence would be in any phonebook.

However Bruce did know where his colleague lived, but this presented a new problem. Said colleague lived only a few scant miles away from New York, the very city that the ex-scientist had fled so very recently after nearly leveling a large section of it.

Bruce sighed and buried his face in his hands while biting his tongue to keep from swearing in front of Abbey. He didn't like it, not in the least, but the ex-scientist couldn't see any other way and there was no where else that he could think of that Abbey would be safe. The only thing that he could hope for was that Ross wouldn't be looking for him there. After all Bruce had never before lingered close to anywhere he had already inflicted himself on, and even went to great lengths to avoid those places. Hopefully this would be enough to keep Ross off of his trail until he could get Abbey to his colleague and disappear again.

Even with that still slightly vague plan of action Bruce felt a little better and finished the rest of his meal in peace and silence. Abbey on the other side of the booth ate her meal voraciously once she had gotten over her initial nervousness, but was only able to eat about half of the food on her plate. It wasn't long before the young girl, now full and tired from the long and no doubt stressful day, began to nod off. The ex-physicist smiled slightly when he saw Abbey's eyelids begin to droop and her body begin to sway back and forth as she struggled to stay awake. Bruce waved to the waitress and signaled for the check.

Abbey jolted back to wakefulness as the fuzzy haired waitress brought the bill over, which Bruce paid with in cash. As he stood Abbey lept from the booth and with a small yawn obediently followed after him. The young girl didn't hesitate this time as she jumped into the passenger seat of Bruce's truck and buckled herself back in. Within a minute Bruce had started the vehicle and they were leaving the little town behind them. It only took about half that long for Abbey to fall asleep.

Bruce glanced at the small child and continued driving, adjusting the heat in the truck so she wouldn't wake because of the cold. The ex-physicist drove through the night despite the fatigue that tugged insistently at the lids of his eyes. Fighting to keep his eyes open and on the road was difficult but Bruce knew that getting as far as he could as fast as he could away from the place that he had transformed. It would take a few days to drive to New York, possibly a week depending on traffic, weather, and how much Bruce needed to sleep. He shot a quick look at Abbey and hoped that she would be alright with the long trip. Though he had only known her for a few hours she seemed like a very calm child, if perhaps far too quiet for his peace of mind.

Unfortunately for Bruce the transformation and resulting hike through the woods had left him exhausted and he was only able to drive for about half the night. It was only with reluctance after almost going into the ditch for the tenth time that he pulled over into a tiny, cheap, roadside hotel. Normally he would have just slept in his truck, but his inner doctor had been nagging him for the past several hours about the untreated cuts that Abbey had. However if he was going to treat the one she had on her wing he was going to need both privacy and supplies to do so. The ex-physicist took a moment to take stock of what he had, what he needed, and how much money he had.

Money wise he wasn't to bad off and had been worse. He had sold pretty much his entire life before going on that last drive into the woods, which was now a good thing. With a few rough calculations Bruce figured he had enough money for gas to New York, meals for about six days, and cash for a cheap hotel bed for the nights with just a little bit left over. He could only hope that what was left over would be enough to get what supplies Abbey needed. Fortunately a gas station that doubled as a convenience store was right across the street. There Bruce was able to buy a very basic first aid kit and a pair of plastic sandals that would service to cover Abbey's feet.

He hurried back to his truck but Abbey hadn't stirred at all. Even in her sleep the young girl looked as tired as the ex-physicist himself felt. Once he had signed in and paid for a room for one night Bruce found himself in a bit of a pickle, how was he going to get Abbey in the room? He really didn't want to wake her; if she woke while he tried to carry her it was likely she would panic and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Fortunately the lack of the constantly rumbling engine and rocking of his truck seemed to cause the young girl to stir.

"Abbey? Are you awake?" Bruce questioned softly, his hand hovering over her shoulder unsure if it would be welcomed.

It was probably a good thing that he didn't touch her, since at the mere sound of his voice she startled and jumped into alertness. Abbey as obviously disoriented and confused for a few moments before she remembered where she was and who she was with. The young girl looked up at Bruce questioningly, still blinking sleep from her eyes.

"Come on, I got us a room so that we'll both have a bed to sleep in at least for a few hours," Bruce hesitated to ask then but felt compelled to offer. "I can carry you in, if you like."

From the look on her face Bruce could tell that she was surprised by his question. He could also tell that Abbey wanted to say yes, but shook her head timidly and got herself from the truck. He felt slightly discouraged that she had reverted back into silence, but knew that trying to push her into speaking would be the worst thing he could do. So instead Bruce grabbed the convenience store bag and led the way to the room, unlocked the door and flicked on the light. The hotel room was the same as any other; bland, beige and completely lacking in any personal touch. However there was running water and two small beds inside and that was all that mattered to Bruce. The ex-physicist put his few possessions on the bed closest to the door and t out a jaw cracking yawn, which Abbey imitated just a few seconds after. Bruce shook his head, trying to push back his exhaustion for just a few minutes more.

Bruce turned to Abbey, "Alright I know you're still tired but I should probably check those cuts of yours before they get infected."

The young girl shifted nervously but nodded and obediently sat on the single chair in the room. Bruce shifted through the bag of supplies, taking out tweezers and disinfectant, and grabbing a soft cloth from the washroom before kneeling in front of her. The ex-physicist inspected her feet, pretending not to notice the small way she flinched as if expecting a blow. Bruce firmly pushed that observation to the back of his mind. Fortunately the cuts weren't deep and there weren't many splinters, but they were dirty which made Bruce worry about the risks of tetanus. He resolved to watch carefully for symptoms and settled for thoroughly washing and disinfecting each nic on her feet and putting a bandaid or two on the worst of them to keep them clean. Once that was done Bruce looked back up at Abbey who was wiggling her toes as if surprised with the care he had put into treating her.

"Alright now just one more cut to treat and then you can go back to sleep, ok?" Bruce said as he soaked another cloth in disinfectant.

Abbey's brow furrowed in confusion as she gave him a questioning look, glancing from her bandaged feet and back to his face. Bruce understood her silent question and gestured to the hoodie she was wearing.

"I saw that you have a cut on your wing, I'll need to check that it's clean so that it doesn't get infected," Bruce said softly as her eyes widened and her body tensed.

Her amber eyes danced around the room, flicking around as if looking for an escape, and on her face was an expression that he could tell was fear.

"Hey it's alright," Bruce said cautiously as he rocked back on his heels to give her more space and presented his empty hands, hoping to placate her. "I'm a doctor remember? I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just trying to make sure that you don't get sick. But that means I have to check the cut on your wing, ok?"

Her panicked gazed focused back on Bruce, weighing him once again before very slowly calming. Abbey was still obviously on edge and nervous but to his relief she no longer looked like she was going to try to bolt for the hotel door. Hesitantly she stood and with a final glance in his direction she quickly slipped the hoodie over her head and turned. The wings on Abbey's back were even more stunning up close. Bruce didn't know much about birds or wing structure but the scientist in his was certainly curious about learning more. At this distance he could see that the brown spots that speckled the cream feathers were more of a russet color, and clustered more densely at the base of the wings.

Bruce didn't have to see Abbey's face to know that she was still scared. It was simple to tell just by the way she held her wings tightly to her back, all but trembling once more with nerves. As gently as he possibly could Bruce reached out and brushed the tips of his fingers along the edge of her left wing. The girl flinched and her wings twitched almost violently, but after a moment the appendage drifted open to allow Bruce access to the cut that he had noticed earlier. Fortunately from what Bruce could tell, despite the blood matting the surrounding feathers, the cut itself was fairly clean and shallow. However just to be safe he ever so carefully washed the small wound and dabbed it with disinfectant. Making sure not to get the solvent on the feathers since he was unsure if it would damage them. It didn't take long for Bruce to finish tending Abbey's wing, though he took a minute or two to gently wash the blood from her feathers.

"There you go, all done." Bruce said lightly as he finished and placed his tools back into the shopping bag.

Abbey quickly pulled away, grabbing the sweater that Bruce had given her and clutching the garment to her chest for comfort. While the ex-physicist couldn't quite identify the look that she was giving him he did know that it made him slightly uncomfortable.

With a slight cough Bruce cleared his throat and turned his attention to the pair of beds in the room. "We should both get some sleep while we can. We have a long way to drive and... we're going to need our rest so..."

The young girl nodded slowly before quickly and quietly padding over to the unclaimed bed and burrowing under the covers. Bruce couldn't help but to notice how tiny she seemed as the bedding all but swallowed her tiny frame. He also made yet another mental reminder to get her something suitable for sleeping in if he could before turning off the light and collapsing in the bed opposite. However despite his utter exhaustion Bruce couldn't fall asleep. Just like before that walk in the woods with a gun in his hand, every time the scientist tried to close his eyes, he was all but assaulted with haunting green tinged images behind his eyelids.

A rustling noise from the other bed fortunately distracted the ex-physicist from his spiraling thoughts. From the corner of his eye Bruce could see the darkened silhouette of Abbey shifting. The young girls wings were stretching, reaching up, their pale color almost glowing in the dark before settling back down like a feather blanket over Abbey's back. While he couldn't see her in the dark he could just barely make out the sound of her slow and soft breathing. So for a long time Bruce simply listened to that gentle sound until, without even noticing, he slipped into sleep.

* * *

Abbey lay quietly under her blankets as the strange man turned off the light and got into the other bed. The young girl didn't know quite what to think of Bruce. He was strange, especially since he never reacted the way she expected him to, but she sort of liked that about him. He gave her food, he helped her cuts, but most of all he wasn't scared of her and didn't call her names. For several moments she wondered if he even knew that she was a monster but shook the thought from her head. If the strange man didn't know what she was then Abbey wasn't about to tell him, and if he found out she'd run away before he could take her back.

The young girl listened for a long time to Bruce's breathing, laying on her stomach and watching the older man's figure in the dark. Once she was sure that he was asleep Abbey took the chance to stretch her wings. Slowly reaching as high as she could with them, fluttering her pinions in bliss, before settling them back over herself and snuggling into their warmth. She truly hoped that she could trust this odd man that she had found in the woods. If only because she felt strangely safe with him as she listened to his breathing and fell asleep.

* * *

**And there we are, I know this chapter has been forever in coming but I hope it was worth the wait. Please remember to review after you've read and maybe if we're lucky the bunnies in my head will use them as fuel for the next chapter and it will be written a lot faster. Because it would suck for everyone if we had to wait for another Avengers movie to inspire another chapter. Until next time my fellow Avengers!**


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